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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25518334">Demons and Their Friends</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Therashae/pseuds/Therashae'>Therashae</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fairy Tail</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Friendship/Love, Headcanon, M/M, Origins, Pradeshverse (Fairy Tail), Team Bonding</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:41:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,731</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25518334</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Therashae/pseuds/Therashae</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A tale of demons, their origins, their enemies and their allies.</p><p>Freed wasn't always a demon, and neither was the boy he loved and lost. </p><p>Some demons are born from pain, some grow strong in the darkness, some are forced to embrace the strength that fear offers them in order to survive.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cobra | Erik/Freed Justine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Dark Ecriture's Dawn</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ELaw/gifts">ELaw</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Desna1/gifts">Desna1</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsPuppetEx/gifts">MrsPuppetEx</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saraphin/gifts">Nightmare Senshi (Saraphin)</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/LucyxAnyoneShipper/gifts">LucyxAnyoneShipper</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarryFire14/gifts">StarryFire14</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/SassyDKitten/gifts">SassyDKitten</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a continuation of my original Friendship Week work, Demons. The boys... didn't want me to leave them where I did so here we are. </p><p>This first chapter IS that original work.</p><p>Please note: the Alanza Brown mentioned in this story is an OC with her own origin story. Nope Out is not completed and has not reached the 'date' that Alanza is mentioned this story. She is also not a Fairy Tail fan in any story other than her introductory one. That...has nothing to do with this story, but if you are reading Nope Out... Oops? Spoiler alert? ....sort of. It won't happen like this anyway... (Moves on with the story)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Are you sure you can’t stay?” The young teen seemed like he might cry at the question. His companion in the dark hay loft smiled weakly and brushed green hair back from his face to kiss his forehead lightly.</p><p>“I’m sure. Stayed too long as it is. I’m not good for you.” The delicate boned teen made a sobbing noise and clung to the other.</p><p>“You aren’t. You can’t go. I lo-“</p><p>“Stop!” Now the other sounded pained. “I can’t stay. One of them will kill me if I do and you know it. And what they will do to you…It…isn’t worth…me, Freed. You can be so much, have so much more than what I am. I know that.” Freed would have argued more, but was caught in a long slow kiss that stole his breath and had the world literally blacking out until he lost consciousness.</p><p><br/>
&lt;-D-&gt;</p><p><br/>
“THE STABLE BOY! NOT ONLY IS MY SON A PATHETIC, DISGUSTING FAGGOT WHO DABBLES IN MAGICAL PERVERSIONS, BUT YOU CHOOSE TO DEMEAN YOURSELF AND DISHONOR OUR FAMILY NAME BY BEING COCK JOCKY TO SOME WORTHLESS SHIT MUCKER?”</p><p>Three days after his lover had vanished and the first words his father had for him upon his return to the estate were to yell and rage over the news that they had been seen together. No one had even asked what had happened. The entire basis for his fathers fury was pure conjuncture after both of them had been seen leaving the stables and not even at the same time. Freed had stood and waited in silence till those last words struck his ears like a war hammer.</p><p>“He is not worthless! He is sweet and smart and-“ A loud slap cut of his words and his father sneered at him.</p><p>“He is useless. He brings nothing to this family.” Freed’s hands shook, either from the pain of the blow of from rage at hearing the boy he loved spoken of in such a way he didn’t know. His father’s voice was cold as he continued speaking. “You will retire to your room. You will remain there until I send for you to continue your studies tomorrow and if I catch wind of you messing with those useless magic books again you will receive twenty lashes.” His father turned away and Freed, knowing he was excused, turned and hurried from the room.</p><p>As soon as Freed was in his room he pulled a light pen from inside his boot and traced one of the first runes he had ever learned on the knob of his door, one that would keep it locked long enough for him to…hide evidence. Then he traced another rune on the corner of his rug before lifting it and another on the board beneath it before prying that up and pulling a box out of the floor. Was he paranoid? Yes. Did he have reason to be? Also Yes. The things in this box were precious to him. If his father ever found out about his box…no. He couldn’t let that happen.</p><p>The box held several books about his rune magic. There was a small, dark wood box containing a lacrima he knew was stolen. He was supposed to be ‘protecting’ it, but he didn’t know why. Then there was the memento box, things he and the boy he would never see again had collected while they were together, small tokens and gifts he had received, even some things he had collected with the intention of making gifts out of them. His journal was also in the box of course, where else would he keep it?</p><p>Freed took one of his books out and replaced the box, then went to sit in the window. It should be at least twenty four hours before anyone came to his room. That was standard with his father. He wouldn’t even be given food until dinner tomorrow. That was fine. He had his books to distract him from…everything. Including his broken heart.</p><p><br/>
&lt;-D-&gt;</p><p><br/>
More than a year later and he still remembered. He tried to forget, to move on, bury himself in the work his father gave him, his studies, his own training with his runes when no one was watching. Sometimes he thought he had succeeded. Then days like today happened. His father had gotten him a horse for his fifteenth birthday and going to the stables had been…painful. So where does he ride his new gelding to? The very same spot where he spent two birthdays ago with his beloved stable boy.</p><p>Freed shook his head at himself and tied his gelding to the tree before stretching out under the tree and staring up through the branches at the sky. “Miss you.” He whispered before closing his eyes to try and remember that day as clearly as he could. Gentle hands, strong arms, soft hair to run is fingers through and those sharp, intelligent eyes. The sound of his laughter, that sweet, tangy scent that seemed to follow him everywhere, the way he would brush Freed’s hair out of his face before kissing him sweetly.</p><p>Freed’s eyes shot open as fingers really did brush his hair back before a light kiss was planted on his forehead. There they were. Those eyes he had missed so much, dreamed about. He opened his mouth to speak only to find a single finger pressed to his lips. Freed almost cried when he saw that small, sad smile that told him this moment was over before it had even begun. “Happy Birthday, Freed.” Before Freed could respond his lips were caught in a long, slow kiss he already knew he wasn’t going to remember the end of.</p><p>When Freed awoke it was just him, the tree, and his new gelding. The only proof he had that his first love had been there was a long box laying under his hand. Inside was an enchanted rapier for casting his runes, the shape and fashion of the guard telling him it was custom made according to a dream he had only ever shared with one person. The dream of joining the Fairy Tail guild. Freed leapt to his feet, clutching the box tightly.</p><p>“Next year!” He called out with the faint hope that the other boy was still somehow close enough tohear. “I’ll be here!” It was stupid, he knew, but…he had come this year. His voice was a whisper as hefinished his plea. “Please come back to me.”</p><p><br/>
&lt;-D-&gt;</p><p><br/>
About a month before his sixteenth birthday everything went…wrong. His father hired mages to search his room and find the magic he was convinced was hidden there, because it was. Seeing as how his father would never give himself a public link to a legal guild, Freed knew instantly when his warning runes were tripped that they were a dark guild. Then one of his wards was broken and he panicked.</p><p>He rushed to pull his box out and began shoving things into his very limited requip. It was a new spell, he had only had a couple books in there before and this…pushed it. His magic burned in his veins and he could feel…a tearing sensation as he pushed his magic past where it was ready to go. His hands were shaking from the pain as he reached for the last item in his box, the lacrima he was supposed to ‘protect’. He had saved it for last because he had learned while smuggling his rapier places that enchantments often acted…oddly in requip and he reacted oddly to them being there.</p><p>The timing was…poor. He dropped the box and the swirling dark purple lacrima rolled across the floor as the mages managed to get through his door. He lunged and grabbed the thing, the screamed in agony as magic rushed into him and exploded across the room, sending dark mages flying and blowing out windows. He would learn later that living so close to it three years had…tuned him to the lacrima and the lacrima to him so the bond was instantaneous.</p><p>He could feel the thing had been in the lacrima inside him now, hear it bellowing in rage as it…took over his body and attacked the mages in his home. He could…see his own flesh bulge and darken to an ugly grey color as the monster, the demon, gave itself form. He finally understood what his beloved had meant when he asked him to protect the lacrima. It wasn’t to keep it from harm. It was to keep it from the world so that this…thing wouldn’t be unleashed on it. And he had…failed in that duty.</p><p>Once the ‘enemy’ was…vanquished the demon had settled enough for Freed to bind it with runes…temporarily. He gathered up as many supplies as he could and took off. He wandered for a bit before finding himself at the tree. His beloved’s favorite place to get away and relax. His birthday tree. He studied the area for a long moment before he began to work, carefully crafting with his runes and consulting his books to get some just right. He worked for hours, using the lacrima that had housed the demon now inside him to anchor his runes. It was an admission of his failing and he only hoped that if what he was leaving here was ever discovered he would be forgiven.</p><p>When he was done there was a low, flat stone next to the tree. It wasn’t a real stone of course, just a sort of time capsule that would only open on his birthday and only for the person the contents were meant for. In theory, depending on how much strain his runes were put under the capsule could last for years, the lock only opening once a year until the magic ran out. Then he turned and walked away. He would go to Fairy Tail and hopefully the demon inside him wouldn’t make them turn him away.</p><p><br/>
&lt;-D-&gt;</p><p><br/>
As it turned out traveling across the country alone when you were as pretty as Freed Justine was just…was not a simple task. Every person he came across either wanted to ‘help’ him or ‘have’ him. Offers to give him rides on wagons, feed him meals, give him a job or a ‘home’ came as often as he saw people on the road. That was preferred over what tended to happen when he left the crowded roads though, as he was reminded today when he found himself surrounded by a gang of thugs.</p><p>“Would you look at that pretty hair. Bet he will make all sorts of pretty noises when I pull it.” The big man Freed was referring to as ‘head thug’ sneered. Now…due to circumstances Freed had it on rather<br/>
good authority that he did, in fact, make pleasant noises when his hair was pulled just right. However he seriously doubted this brute would do it right and even if he did he was not going to ‘sing’ for him. Ever.</p><p>“I will not.” Freed drew the rapier at his side. “Because you will not.” The crowd began to laugh, and Freed would have let that pass if one had not made the mistake of referring to his pride and joy as a ‘play sword’. He felt the darkness he had managed to contain in a more stable fashion surge inside him as he saw red. He formed his magic into precise lines and clear phrases before it flowed through his sword and with a simple sweep of his arm he had contained the whole group. They would not escape him.</p><p>“Missed me pretty boy!” ‘Scraggly thug’ leered at him and Freed began to grin. He released the demon from it’s cage hidden behind his hair and watched as the ignorant wretches began to shift nervously and back away in terror at the changes to him.</p><p>“YOU WILL WISH I HAD MISSED.” He threw himself at them and the demon was thrilled with their screams of pain and fear. “THERE WILL BE NO MORE VICTIMS TO YOUR SICKLY PERVERSIONS.” They begged and pleaded and tried to escape, but his runes held them, all but one. Freed roared in rage as the head thug dropped into the ground and slipped through under his runes, reappearing to run towards the road.</p><p>Then the most marvelous thing happened. Lightning literally struck out of the clear blue sky and a tall, blond-haired young man formed from it to stand on the back of the now smoking corpse. Freed watched in awe as the demi-god bared fangs at the creature under his feet and then looked at him. There was no fear in the stormy eyes as he gazed at Freed’s demonic form, just faint curiosity and perhaps…respect.</p><p>“You’re damn good with those runes kid.” The thunder god walked closer and Freed took a moment to force his demon back onto it’s cage.</p><p>“Freed. My name is Freed.” He dropped his rune barrier.</p><p>“Laxus.” Those intense eyes studied him. They…felt familiar somehow. “You going somewhere Freed?” Freed held out his rapier so the man could see it.</p><p>“Fairy Tail.” Laxus just smirked in response.</p><p><br/>
&lt;-D-&gt;</p><p><br/>
Freed stared at the lanky boy Laxus had brought to their training grounds. Just stared. For long enough it may have been rude. The boy was…talking to the air. Freed was sure there was a reason he was doing that, but coming up from the surrounding thick vegetation to witness it left him quite lost. Then the boy stuck out his tongue and cackled. This had Freed making a small sound that caused Laxus to look at him.</p><p>“Freed, meet Bickslow Pradesh. Bickslow, Freed Justine.” The tall boy turned and looked at him and Freed caught the fearful, haunted look in his unique eyes before the bright grin appeared.</p><p>“Well, hi sexy.” Freed considered looking behind him just for the sarcasm element, but elected not to.</p><p>“Greetings. You wouldn’t happen to be related to Ambassador Pradesh would you?”</p><p>“He’s…my dad.” The boy, Bickslow, seemed reluctant to disclose that information.</p><p>“Bosco had some bad shit go down.” Laxus almost sounded bored, but Freed knew better. “Passed a ban on his magic. He goes back he fucking dies.” Freed sucked in a sharp breath.</p><p>“And what might your magic be Bickslow?” There was that look again. Freed had seen that look before.</p><p>“…..seith magic.”</p><p>“Oh.” That explained talking to the air. Seith mages worked with the souls of both the living and the dead. “A formidable and versatile magic. I will have to do more research on the subject. Welcome to Magnolia, Bickslow.” There was approval in Laxus eyes and relief in Bickslow’s.</p><p>“We’ll keep him with us.” Laxus said, shedding his coat to begin training. “Least till he adjusts to Fiore.” Freed kept his inner smirk at that well hidden. Laxus…would probably keep the boy for a good, long while after he had ‘adjusted’.</p><p><br/>
&lt;-D-&gt;</p><p><br/>
They were supposed to be culling a dark guild, Laxus first official mission as an S-class mage. Only…it was clearly not an S-class mission as most of the guild was in a…garden gnome state. As Laxus so elegantly put it, “What in the actual fuck?” While Freed agreed with the sentiment he would have chosen other words to express it.</p><p>“They are alive Boss, I’m telling you. Souls are still there and setting pretty just…waiting.” Bickslow and his little totems danced around the clearing as Freed set up barriers to…keep the stone men from escaping if they reanimated. Laxus sniffed around a while before finding the door into the side of the mountain. He simply broke the thing down, because he was Laxus, and the team entered the cave system.</p><p>They found a trail of lawn gnome impersonating humans leading deeper into the caves to a door that was closed. Bickslow's 'babies' tried to open it only to find it wedged closed from the other side. Laxus sniffed at the air and scowled. </p><p>"Female. Smells terrified."</p><p>"I would be too." Bickslow grinned. "I mean these guys are taking stiffie to a whole new level." *New level, super stiffie, call a medic. </p><p>"Oh I'll show you stiff!" Came a hissing female voice from beyond the door. "You want a peek? Come on. I dare you!" When Laxus and Bickslow both looked like they were considering the 'offer' Freed gared at them, eye glowing faintly. </p><p>"Madam, I assure you we aren't here to cause any law abiding citizen trouble."</p><p>"...Grandpa speak for all of you?" Freed twitched and both of the larger teens laughed at him, loudly. </p><p>"Education and advanced age do *not* go hand in hand, I assure you."</p><p>"Uhu. So who's in charge? Not the nerd, right?" Freed rubbed the bridge of his nose, smiling faintly at the banter. The way she talked to him was...strangely relaxing.</p><p>"Look lady." Laxus pressed a hand to the door and pushed a little. "We're here because the shit hole needs emptied. You hiding from the thing that made the statues or hiding from the statues who used to be assholes?"</p><p>"I'm the monster that killed them so fuck off!"</p><p>Laxus rolled his eyes and kicked the door open splinters of wood and chunks of stone flying. Freed was fairly certain there had been a lawn gnome blocking the door that... wasn't anymore. The Slayer scowled at the girl cowering in the darkness. "Whole lot more humane than what we would have done to them. What's your name girl?"</p><p>"I'm a woman you brute!" Freed smiled at the vicious bluster from the clearly terrified woman. "....my name is Evergreen." Laxus crouched and held out a hand. </p><p>"Come on. We'll get you home."</p><p>"Aren't you...scared of me?" She looked over the three of them and jumped when Bickslow laughed, then glared at him. The seith turned to stone. Freed blinked slowly. </p><p>"You can release him...correct?" The woman nodded a little and Laxus grinned. </p><p>"Nah. You've got balls. We respect that." Freed sighed and shook his head.</p><p>"Laxus that is no way to speak to a lady."</p><p>Laxus shrugged, reaching out and yanking the girl out of the closet. She let out a screech and began beating the large blond with what looked like a broken broom handle. Freed leaned against the wall, smirking as he watched Laxus cower and try to apologise.</p><p> </p><p>&lt;-D-&gt;</p><p><br/>
“Seventeen.” Bickslow murmured.</p><p>“Smell fire, poison, something dark…and a snack.” Freed resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Lightning. Laxus smelled a lightning or storm mage. “Freed.”</p><p>That was the signal. They had done this so many times there was no need for more words. Freed wrote his wings and took off one way, rapier drawn and runes flying, As soon as he had three sides of the box written Laxus was in the air, coming down with a flash and a clap of thunder right in the middle of the box.</p><p>The members of the dark guilds they hunted always had one of three reactions. Those petrified with shock found Evergreen dropping down on them to truly petrify them. Those who were loud and brash headed for Laxus who grinned and generally hoped at least one would be strong enough to give him a decent fight. The runners mostly hit Freed’s runes and those who managed to get past Freed’s runes either through the gap before he closed it or through some magical fluke Freed had not foreseen were taken out by Bickslow and his babies.</p><p>There were situations when something deviated from the norm, like today. A female shadow mage had decided slipping her necromancer boyfriend out of the runes was a good idea. It would have been if Pipi hadn’t let out her little warning cry and Freed hadn’t been on top of them the instant the runes closed. The necromancer alone Bickslow could have handled, problem was…he couldn’t reach into the shadows to pull them out. Freed however, could toss out a few runes and suddenly the female couldn’t pull either of them into the shadows.</p><p>The fight ended pretty quickly after that. Laxus had five people in various states of twitching and crispy already, seven were statues. The three that were left…one passed out, another pissed his pants when Freed flew over in his Darkness form. Thankfully the last functioning dark mage had the intelligence to surrender.</p><p><br/>
&lt;-D-&gt;</p><p><br/>
“.…Laxus….” Freed felt so lost. “You…you can’t leave us.” Evergreen was just sobbing at this point.</p><p>“I can. This…mess I dragged you all into… Should have listened to you and it never should have happened. Refused to accept the dragon and I…almost destroyed everything I care about.” Freed could feel the tears streaming down his own face at those words.</p><p>“At least go to Bosco man.” Bickslow sounded defeated, almost broken. “Let my family help you. Talk to Nurem, get yourself straightened out.”*dragon momma, she’ll fix you. Laxus gave a derisive snort.</p><p>“Seriously doubt your family wants anything to do with me after the shit I just got you into. Could have gotten you killed, Bix.”</p><p>“Bossman, that’s just stupid talk. You know we all have issues. They get that. At least…think about it?” *pleeeease, family help. All three of them gave Laxus pleading looks and Freed could see his resolve crumble.</p><p>“Fine! I’ll think about it. Just…stay safe and out of trouble. And… keep an eye on the new girl.” They all just kind of blinked at him over that.</p><p>“The curvy little ginger?” Bickslow cocked his head. *curvy, pretty hair, loud too.</p><p>“Why?” Evergreen’s fan was twitching. “She is a magicless barmaid and…obviously crazy. Not worth our notice.”</p><p>“Not crazy. Not like she seems.” Laxus kept packing as he spoke. “Mystogan brought her to the guild. She’s like him. Sounds crazy just because she’s…from somewhere else. Makes me… I don’t know. Just watch her.”</p><p>“She’s a little spitfire.” *spit fire, kaboom. Bickslow grinned. “I will totally watch her do- OW!” Laxus had zapped him.</p><p>“I’m serious Bix. Keep an eye on her and make sure she isn’t…dangerous or some shit.”</p><p>“Laxus,” Evergreen sounded downright insulted, which was better than hysterical sobbing. “She is a magicless barmaid. Can barely activate a lacrima. What could she possibly do to us?”</p><p>“I’ll tell you what she could do to m- OW!” Evergreen slapped at Bickslow with her fan and Freed just sighed.</p><p>“Alanza Brown,” Freed spoke softly. “Seventeen, has been a member of the guild for less than six months, no known magic. She does have a notable magic reserve and no seeming sense self preservation.” He got some odd looks at that. “She was with Miss Juvia and Miss Cana when we met. She tried to attack me with a…rather large hammer.” Laxus snorted and Evergreen just shook her head.</p><p>“I think I like her.” *like her, so funny, all the spunky. Laxus closed his bag then and the team forgot their bickering and all about the new girl to tackle him in a hug and beg him not to leave them again.</p><p><br/>
&lt;-D-&gt;</p><p><br/>
They had failed. Laxus hadn’t been gone a month and the one person he had asked them to watch was missing. Seeing as how they had all three grown rather attached to the woman in that time they were beside themselves. Bickslow most especially since he had taken Alanza home with him last night and she had simply not been seen since they separated this morning, she heading towards the guild and Bickslow joining the team for morning training.</p><p>“There is nothing dangerous in Magnolia!” Evergreen hissed in frustration. Freed fully agreed with that, or would have if their friend hadn’t gone missing. Freed had sent out tracer runes, now they were just…waiting.</p><p>“I know that!” *know that, yep, we know. “But Al wouldn’t have just wandered off when she was supposed to work the bar today. It’s not her way.” *nope, reliable crazy, works hard, want her back.</p><p>Freed gasped when one of his runes reacted and ran for several steps before activating his wings and flying. Evergreen and Bickslow were right behind him. They had very few friends outside their team and even fewer since Fantasia. They would not let this one come to harm if there was any way to prevent it.</p><p>It took almost half an hour to catch up to where Freed’s runes had found Alanza. A shack in the middle of the woods. Entering was…a shock. There was blood everywhere and shards of what looked like colored glass. Blood and glass that looked like they came from their friend who was chained to the floor.</p><p>There were also…people dying, people aside from the woman on the floor. The one laying on the ground, body seizing and claw marks bubbling on his skin said at least one of the people who had done this was still close. Freed left Bickslow and Evergreen to deal with the carnage and their friend, who seemed to be struggling to stay alive, and shot into the air to place a barrier and find anything that was running, including the killer. A creature who would do that needed to be stopped.</p><p>He had almost completed his box when he saw him. The other mage had drawn to a stop and almost seemed to be waiting for him, intense purple eyes almost glowing with their intensity. Freed couldn’t stop himself from landing and just…staring. He was even more breathtaking now than he had been when they were young. Standing there cocky as anything in the Elluris coat Freed had specially commissioned with money he had scraped together so many years ago and left under the birthday tree.</p><p>“Erik…what…” There was that sad smile again.</p><p>“I can’t stay. You have the girl back. He had them implant a dragon lacrima in her. She’ll die if you don’t get her to help fast.” Freed’s hands shook as Erik walked closer and reached out to brush his hair back, looking at the eye Freed had caged the demon in. “You…protected it. I’m sorry, Never should have brought it to you. Still sound beautiful to me.” Erik kissed Freed on the forehead and the rune mage couldn’t hold his small whimper in.</p><p>“Erik…please.” Erik shook his head and cradled Freed’s face in his hand.</p><p>“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let you see me, but I heard you and I just…couldn’t keep running.” Their lips met in a long, slow kiss that left Freed’s knees weak. “Three weeks early, but… Happy Birthday, Freed.” Freed could feel the tear that slid down his cheek as Erik’s lips returned. A flash of purple came down behind Erik as the sweet, tangy poison filled his senses and the world faded away. Freed kept begging inside even though he knew that when he woke his beloved would be gone.</p><p> </p><p>&lt;-D-&gt;</p><p><br/>
Helping the new dragoness recover had been a guildwide project that had also involved Bickslow’s family and their guild. Her presence in her new state had also had an unforeseen calming effect on several of the guildmembers. Namely Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel. Of course…that may have had something to do with her losing her sanity more than once and beating them into the ground.</p><p>Then there had been the fact that she had done into heat rather suddenly in the middle of the guild. The guild was still recovering from that. It had sent the men into a lust driven frenzy. Natsu was still…not the same from being tackled to the ground and then ridden into it when he had challenged her to another fight. A greater portion of the guild would never be the same after witnessing that. Bickslow had gotten…caught by Alanza before it was over. Evergreen had gotten caught in the…female brawl. Freed had mostly just…helped with the cleanup and nursed his own broken heart in secret.</p><p>That being said…It meant that when the light guilds organized a coalition to take care of the Oracion Seis there were…rather few of them with able bodies. Freed had been given charge of Elfman, Cana, and Laki and told to ‘make Fairy Tail proud’. He was not pleased by this, not in the least. He had actually been admiring the wind mage from Blue Pegasus out of the corner of his eye when the picture popped up. Freed felt the world drop out from under his feet and he could do nothing but stare for a long minute. Erik, his Erik, was…out there.</p><p>Suddenly Freed was done. Just so very done with his beloved being so…so…stupid. His well earned, well trained control snapped and he flew from the building, darkness form appearing and runes flowing over the mansion to keep them in and threats out, tracking and binding runes shooting through the forest in search of a certain very stubborn poison mage, more of the same after the beings supposedly with him. He felt them connect. One, two, three, Erik, five, six. The fifth one felt like he would have trouble holding it so he was on a timer. He flew towards Erik, demoic form slamming down and growling at the man ‘tied’ with runes. staring at him in shock.</p><p>“Freed?” Erik seemed to be doubting himself which only pissed Freed off more.</p><p>“OF COURSE YOU COWARDLY NEWT. YOU CAN HEAR ME, I KNOW YOU CAN…COBRA.” Erik had the gall to look ashamed.</p><p>“Freed-“ Freed cut him off with an angry demonic growl that had Erik shuddering. Freed could care less in that moment because he was furious and that was Erik’s ‘I’m about to make you cry and leave again’ tone.</p><p>“DON’T YOU DARE. NOT THIS TIME. HOW COULD YOU BE SO…STUPID, ERIK? ALL THIS TIME AND ALL THE CHANCES YOU HAD TO NOT GO BACK. DON’T TRY TO TELL ME YOU WANTED THIS, I KNOW BETTER, KNOW YOU BETTER.” Now the insufferably sexy nitwit was purring. “YOU COULD HAVE COME TO ME. YOU KNEW WHERE I WAS. I TOLD YOU IN THE LETTER I LEFT WITH THE COAT YOU ARE STILL WEARING.” Freed failed to notice when his Darkness form began to fade. “I COULD HAVE HELped you. My team could have helped you. Why must you do everything by yourself?”</p><p>“Freed…” The pleading, reasonable voice. No. He was not being a baby about the situation this time. He was right gods damn it.</p><p>“No, you don’t get to talk me out of it this time. No knock out kisses either! This time you are going home with me to be safe and happy and…unless…” Unless Erik really was happy…like this. He couldn’t  imagine…how, but… Maybe he had found someone who made him happy. Maybe that last kiss had just been a tool to escape. Maybe-</p><p>“Freed! Fuck, please let me out. That isn’t true. None of that bullshit in your head. I’m sorry, okay? You were never a tool, not to me, not you. Please?” Freed wanted to give in, he really wanted to, but…what if he let Erik go and…he left? What if- “Damn it Freed! I promise! I promise I won’t run…not anymore.”</p><p>Freed looked into his eyes for a moment before releasing the binding rune, waiting for Erik to run again. He didn’t. Instead he rolled to his feet and walked to Freed, dropping his head down to hide his face in Freed’s neck and slide long fingers into Freed’s hair. He seemed to be…shaking.</p><p>“…..Erik?”</p><p>“Missed you, Freed. So much. Every time it got worse.” Freed raised his arms and then stopped when Erik tensed. Had he done something wrong? What- “No…go ahead.” Freed moved slower this time, wrapping one arm around Erik’s shoulders and threading the fingers of his other hand into his soft hair with a small sigh. Erik shuddered in his arms.</p><p>“Staying…with you. This time I’ll fight to stay.” Freed released the runes on the mansion and took a slow breath, focusing that energy on the one that seemed so close to breaking from his binding rune.</p><p>“Erik.” He was pretty sure he knew who that was.</p><p>“I hear. This time…I’ll kill him.” Erik pulled away with a dark smirk and Freed pulled on his Darkness form.</p><p>“Not alone.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Second Demon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Our lovely rune demon has managed to bring two of the six demons who were hunting Nirvana home to Fairy Tail. Let's see what happens...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This story is not strictly Pradeshverse magic theory compliant. It's close but not exact for those who know what that is.</p><p>Friendship Day!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Cobra slumped on the second floor of the Fairy Tail guildhall, reclining in Cubelios's coils as his eyes tracked glossy green hair below him. Six days in the Wood Sea waging war against Brain and destroying Nirvana. Four days with Blue Pegasus handling legalities and seething as the weak little mouth breathers fawned all over hi- the more lovely Fairy Tail mages. Two more days in Clover...that were entirely his fault. Turns out when you are a not quite pardoned dark mage and you poison someone for smelling like lust it upsets the powers that be. Thankfully Freed was...perfect...ly able to settle things peacefully. Two days later they were finally in Magnolia and when the little group at the bar finished their paperwork he and Midnight would be officially on probation in the care of Fairy Tail. Fourteen long as hell, beautiful, fucked up days since a demon had descended upon him with the wrath of...well, a demonic rune mage.</p><p>"You're twitching." Midnight's eyes didn't open to make that observation.</p><p>"Shut up."</p><p>"They went through too much trouble to turn on us now. Whatever you have on the legalistic prude must be good."</p><p>Cobra slowly turned to stare at Midnight. </p><p>"Careful what you say about him. You know I'll let you form your own opinions about people…but if your words disrupt his music...not even all our years are enough to save you from me."</p><p>Midnight opened both eyes and blinked slowly. "Is he...threatening you?" Cobra could hear the simmering rage at the idea that they were being manipulated and used again. It had taken a visit from Freed's insane teammate's brother to set the dream mage free from the hypnotic brainwashing Brain had drilled into him. They would both rather die than go back to that kind of life.</p><p>Cobra snorted. "He's the only one that could get away with that...but no. He'd never do that." His eyes went back to the group at the bar, the smallest of purrs vibrating in his chest when Freed looked up again to reassure himself that Erik hadn't vanished. The guilt over that fear being there ate away at Cobra's rotted soul. Two weeks and Freed still expected him to walk away. Still waited to wake up and find that his presence was a dream. "He's beautiful, Mid… you'll see." He could hear Midnight's internal response to that. Shock, curiosity, a wicked delight that would eventually result in teasing, and terror.</p><p>"Who are you and where is the real Cobra?" Cobra rolled his eyes and traced Cubelios's scales with his fingertips. "Seriously. It sounded like you <em>like</em> the guy, and you don't like anyone."</p><p>Cobra shrugged. "I've known him...almost as long as I've known you." He smirked faintly as his gaze dropped to the rapier at Freed's side. "Leglist...maybe. He's a gentry born rune mage. A prude?" His smirk grew. "Absolutely not. He values his privacy and his self control is...well developed." He huffed and shoved his hands into his coat pockets, snuggling deeper into Cubelios. "Disciplined Bastard." Two weeks and Freed hadn't so much as touched him since they went after Brain. In fact he seemed to be avoiding being close to him or alone with him. </p><p>Midnight made a sarcastic laughing sound that caused people to look at them nervously. "Is this really about sex? Your heat just passed. Shouldn't that have worn off by now? Or did the bloodbath get to you?"</p><p>Cobra growled at his friend, fangs bared. He <em>hated</em> being reminded of his heats and Midnight knew it. Also...the bloodbath <em>had</em> gotten to him. Or more like seeing Freed's violent dance and the smell of blood on the rune mage's skin had gotten to him. "Shut. Your. Face, <em>Drag Queen.</em>" Midnight's eyes narrowed and a low hiss came from him. A slightly more deadly and terrifying version of one of Natsu and Gray's fights would have started on the second floor if the doors hadn't slammed open.</p><p>"Cana you grubby bitch!" A ginger-haired woman ran to the bar and tackled the brunette. "Why were you gone so long! You and Laki finally find someone who wanted a wooden foot up his ass?" Midnight and Cobra both physically recoiled at the idea. The blunette who had entered behind the orange haired woman grabbed Laki in a hug and lots of female chattering noises happened. Cobra groaned in false agony, closing his eyes and tamping down on his magic before his headache really did get worse.</p><p>He was so focused on <em>not</em> hearing the females and their shrieking that he didn't hear the footsteps approaching him. It wasn't until the smell of ink and caladium pulled an unconscious purr from his chest that he realized Freed was no longer downstairs at the bar. He opened his eyes and tried not to react as he watched Freed gently pet Cubelios's eye ridges, a soft smile on his face. He licked his lips and fought the urge to do something stupid. "You done or are we still unleashed murderers?" He cringed at the side-eyed, cold look he received from the rune mage. </p><p>"Fairy Tail is now officially responsible for your behavior, <em>Cobra</em>." Cobra physically flinched at the way Freed sneered that name. The same way he had for the past two weeks. He seemed to still be angry at him for...something, not that he could be blamed. "And yours as well, Midnight. Bickslow has volunteered a room in his house for you." Freed smiled at Midnight and Cobra almost whimpered. "If he gets to be too annoying please let me know so I can talk to him."</p><p>Midnight scowled. "Safest jailor you could think of?"</p><p>Freed shook his head. "He has a large house and spare rooms. He's also a very understanding soul and knows how to respect your pain." Then he sighed. "He is Boscan. Please don't be offended if he makes advances that are unwelcome. Refuse him calmly and clearly and he will desist."</p><p>For a split second Midnight looked terrified before he shrugged and looked away. "Whatever makes you feel safer. ...What about Cobra?"</p><p>"<em>Cobra</em> comes with me." Cobra...had mixed feelings about that considering the venom in Freed's voice sounded...strong enough to taste on his tongue. Fuck that sounded good. Good enough that he zoned out for a few sentences staring at Freed's lips as he spoke. "...rest...not...seem…alright? Erik?" Cobra blinked a couple times as Freed looked down at him with worried eyes. "You seem tired. I know the guild is...intense. Perhaps the Master would allow me to put up a sound barrier for the balcony." </p><p>Cobra's body slowly relaxed and he cocked his head slightly. "No need. I'll adjust. I have better control now than I used to." Freed smiled, this time at him, and Cobra purred. Midnight openly gaped at them. Freed's fingers twitched and Cobra could hear it again, the sounds that reminded him over the past two weeks that Freed couldn't <em>actually</em> ignore him, just act like he was. Sweet, pleading tones that sounded like a woodlark at dawn and the deeper, hungry rumbles of the demon that lived inside him. Cobra literally bit his tongue to hold back his groan. "Very well. You do seem tired, though. Would you like to retire for the evening? A mission such as we just completed demands rest in order to recover and function optimally."</p><p>A smirk grew on Cobra's lips. Cheeky little demon was playing hard to get and pretending he wasn't just as human as the rest of them. Seemed leaving society didn't purge it from you. "If you need to sleep in order to handle me...by all means, little lordling. Don't let me stop you."</p><p>The purple glow behind Freed's hair intensified and Cobra heard both the roar of the demon at his challenge and Freed's inner whimper of desire. Aside from a faint blush the rune mage didn't display either side of his reaction. He scowled faintly and sighed. "I'm not in the mood to be baited, <em>Cobra</em>."</p><p>Cobra bared his fangs and growled. "Would you fucking stop that! I know you're mad. You have a right to be. I'm...it was… What I did hurt you. I get that, okay? I was trying to keep you safe." One of Freed's brows arched slightly and Cobra winced slightly. "I know you don't need protected. That doesn't mean I don't want...you safe." When Freed's eyes narrowed Cobra looked away. </p><p>They had a fucking audience. No only was Midnight staring at Cobra with wide eyes, but both of Freed's teammates were there as well. Both of the first gen slayers and the fledgling they had picked up from Cait Shelter were up here staring too. Aaaand here came trouble. Cobra tensed as the dragoness finally came up to greet him. The orange hair was familiar. He knew where she had come from, but she didn't sound at all like the broken creature he had found in the little shack in the woods. </p><p>"So...dragon slayer." His inner dragon had all sorts of comments to make as she leaned into his space, smirking. <em>Female. Queen. Tatsu. Protect. Home. Hatchlings. Submit. Strength</em>. He mentally slapped at the crabby bitch and narrowed his eyes on the woman. "I remember your smell, sweet blood and poison. The sounds of filth begging for mercy." Okay. She was either crazy or about to kill him. "Have you finally come home?" She was smiling. Definitely crazy. He could hear the growling croon coming from inside her, hear her amusement at the entire situation. </p><p>His eyes flicked to Freed. He could see the tension around his eyes, smell his nervousness, hear his fear that Cobra would take Erik away from him again. Never again. No matter what it took he was staying with Freed. Even if the beautiful rune mage was still pissy as hell.</p><p>Cobra looked back at the dragoness, meeting her bright green eyes and tilting his head to the side. "You're nuts, you know that?" </p><p>She snickered as she leaned in and kissed his throat. "Yeeaah. Most of us are. Welcome home." His inner dragon melted. Traitorous cunt. He couldn't quite keep his purr inside him as she nuzzled into his neck and his body relaxed.</p><p>Cobra tensed and his eyes went back to Freed when an odd screeching sound came from inside the other mage. He shivered at the look in his eyes, the purple glow behind sleek green hair. The Tatsu Queen pulled away, herding the others away as Cobra stood and moved to Freed. "Please...can we go home?" The uncertainty he could hear from the rune mage had him dropping his head to nuzzle into his neck. "Please love? I'm sorry. Stop being mad and calling me Cobra and take me home."</p><p>The music in Freed's soul cleared and pure, ringing notes sounded from him again. The tension drained out of his body and he raised his hands to sink fingers into Erik's hair. "Home it is. We have a lot to talk about." Erik nuzzled deeper into his neck and purred loudly. Cubelios wrapped herself around them just before purple runes whisked the three of them away. </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Demons of the Mind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cobra let himself be whisked off into the runescape by his rune mage, leaving Midnight alone in the Fairy Tail guildhall. Does that make him a bad friend? Midnight is rather inclined to think it does.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>We will be skipping around between points of view in this story. I'm not abandoning the original characters at all. We should get back to Freed and Cobra in a couple chapters. I'm aware that my Midnight isn't...canon personality compliant? This is just the way I see things with Brain and Midnight. Any backstory I share will probably be in dark glimpses and nightmares.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Midnight was terrified. Something was wrong with Cobra and now he was alone in a sea of people. There was a seith mage towering over him right this minute for fucks sake! He couldn't protect himself from all of them at once! He stayed perfectly still, a bored expression on his face as the redhead that had KISSED COBRA'S NECK AND LIVED turned toward him with a grin.</p><p>"Welcome to Fairy Tail, Midnight!" After what she had done to Cobra Midnight had his reflection magic fully active around his person so she sort of...slid around him when she got close. </p><p>"Well…" Midnight yawned and studied his nails as he spoke. "It was here or a life in prison...at least here I can go window shopping occasionally." </p><p>The gigantic soul rapeing maniac he had been given to laughed. "Hope you have good shoes. Between Ever and Spices we have seriously intense shopping trips."</p><p>The redhead cackled. "Awe, c'mon, Bix. You know most days I can't keep up with you."</p><p>'Bix' grinned widely. "You have that dragon stamina. That's cheating." Midnight was just starting to relax when both of them turned to look at him. He let his eyelids droop as if he were falling asleep. The less eye contact he made with the Seith the better. He didn't trust the metal grating over those eyes to protect anyone, especially himself. "So. Since the nerd and your buddy obviously have something they need-" He ducked the fan swung at his head and laughed. "To handle, we will help you get settled." Lovely. A welcome to your new dungeon party. </p><p>Midnight yawned again. "I'm comfortable. I don't need anything." Hopefully they would leave him alone now. The amused chuckle from the redhead and the downright evil smirk on his new jailor's female teammate said he wasn't going to get his wish. He grumbled and closed his eyes completely, sinking further into his seat. </p><p>"Hey, man…" Midnight clenched his teeth to hold in his hiss at the deep voice that was far too close to him for his liking. He couldn't hide the way his black painted lips twisted in a small sneer as he cracked an eye open. The Seith was crouched next to him, just beyond his magical personal space bubble. "You can stay here if you want, but the brawls will put a toll on your magic if you keep that shield up." </p><p>The...brawls? Midnight's eyes flicked over the room. The females who had been upstairs were on their way down to the bar where the rest of the guild was talking and drinking. He didn't see any indication that violence was imminent. When he looked back at the large man next to him he was met with a wide grin. He leaned back a little and blinked when the man stuck out his tongue and laughed. That...was his guild mark. The fuck?</p><p>"Freed vamoosed for a reason, man! Booze'll flow once someone calls for a welcome party and then Natsu will set someone's whiskey on fire. You'll get used to it, but...maybe later. How about I take you home? Hot cocoa, grilled cheese, some ice cream, then I can tuck you into bed?" </p><p>"Touch me and I will pop your eyes out of your skull...and turn them into jewelry." He tipped his head to the side and smirked, the tip of his tongue tracing his bottom lip. He'd used this very expression before and men had pissed themselves. He knew that the crazy still lingering on the edges of his mind could be seen in his eyes. </p><p>"Fuck. See, that would sound really sexy if I was into that, but it's not really my thing. Consent really turns me on and I like seeing." The man laughed, seemingly unbothered by Midnight's threat. Maybe he was losing his touch now that he wasn't Brain's broken puppet. Still broken, likely more of a toy than a puppet now, just not Brain's. Wow. He was so pathetic...and so tired. He closed his eyes and let out a loud sigh.</p><p>"Yeah. Most people do. Threaten to pull off fingernails or chop off a leg and they'll keep going. Reach for an eye … You can't see your own eye, makes the injury that much more terrifying."</p><p>"Loss of control." Midnight tipped his head to the side at the conversational tone Bickslow was using, but let his eyes stay closed. "Makes sense. People are more afraid of things they can't control or understand. It's why kids are afraid of the dark. What you can't see can hurt you more than what you can see because you can't protect yourself." Midnight wasn't sure if that was supposed to be a threat or a reassurance coming from a mage who could manipulate human souls and murder with simple eye contact.</p><p>"Mmhmmmm." Eleven thirty-two. He could feel every moment as the sun rose higher in the sky. He adjusted his reflective shield slightly. Less protected space also meant a lighter magic drain while he slept. "Fear is...stronger than pain. Pain doesn't kill you...not really." His words were mumbled and he doubted the big man was actually listening anyway. "Fear...strong enough to trap you in the pain...even when you want to die."</p><p>He knew he fell asleep after that because he kept dreaming. He had plenty of practice shutting them down, but his dream magic never stopped the dreams from starting. The Boscan Mindmage had untied the knots Brain had tangled his mind into, but the memories remained to birth his own nightmares. He could breathe and think for himself now without the blood-red haze he had been living in for years. As grateful as he was not to be twisted into the monster he had been it...well it hurt to be himself. He had chosen to keep his memories because they were his, but they still hurt. The new clarity of his nightmares was lingering evidence of that.</p><p>He remembered the blood and the screams with guilt and horror now instead of unnatural glee. He remembered the sickening feeling of Brain's hands on him and the pain instead of joy and pleasure at his 'father' loving him. Faces filled with terror had his dream self sobbing while his own laughter echoed around him. Time and again his nightmares rose, and time and again he shoved them away, forcing darkness and quiet into his mindscape. </p><p>He almost woke several times, mind stirring at a pull on his magic. Once the temperature had dropped drastically enough that he whined and curled his body up tighter before falling back asleep. Nothing could physically touch him while his reflector magic was active, but that didn't mean he wasn't affected by his environment. As long as his magic didn't take a drastic dive and his body wasn't damaged he could and would sleep through almost anything while the sun was high in the sky. </p><p>When Midnight's brain finally woke up enough to function he slowly began to form an idea of his surroundings by the sounds around him. There were at least a dozen people talking, someone singing drunkenly, laughter, the sound of something breaking and a wave of cheers following. All those noises were far enough away that they weren't a threat...yet. The only thing close enough to be an imminent threat was a high pitched excessively happy noise that he expected Cobra to destroy at second now. When the sound continued to exist after several long moments he scraped up the mental energy to focus on it.</p><p>"Again!" Words. The happy noise was a voice.</p><p>"Do it spinning!" Voices. Plural. </p><p>"Weeeeee! This is fun! I'm dizzy!" They kept coming closer and then moving farther away. </p><p>"You can't get dizzy, stupid!" They sounded...like children? Did children sound like that? He didn't really spend a lot of time around kids these days so he wasn't sure, but he didn't think they sounded quite right.</p><p>"Chicken time!" Several of the voices gave tiny, shrill war cries that transformed into happy giggles. He felt the dip that time and focused on his magic output. Something kept bouncing off of his reflector shield. </p><p>He cracked open one faintly glowing eye and mentally blinked at the little wooden...faces flying around him. He had no clue what they were, but they seemed to be autonomous entities that were...playing with his magic. They were giggling and throwing themselves against his reflector shield. They weren't attacking him, just...using him as a toy. Something in his chest warmed and tightened all at once. That couldn't be good. It felt almost like an inflamed wound.</p><p>Midnight sat up straighter and opened his eyes to watch the wooden children. They didn't seem to notice that he was awake. They kept coming up with new ways to bounce off of him. Two of them wandered over to a nearby table, giggling together. Midnight smirked faintly as he watched them pin a mug between them and carry it back, dumping it over his head. Beer splattered everywhere and the children shrieked in glee. </p><p>"Uhoh…" One of the children stopped and turned to face the other four. "Does that count as letting someone bother him?"</p><p>"No! It didn't get him wet."</p><p>"Daddy won't be mad!"</p><p>"Are we sure!"</p><p>"So sure."</p><p> </p><p>"Absolutely sure."</p><p>"We should ask just in case…" All five of the children turned away from Midnight and looked down over the railing. </p><p>"I don't want to get in trouble."</p><p>Midnight arched a brow and looked past the floating wooden heads to the chaos below. There was a fight on one side of the hall over a broken table. He could see magic being used. Several people were performing on a stage until a chair flew at one of the dancing girls and the whole group joined the brawl. Food and drink and furniture flew everywhere. </p><p>Midnight was confused to say the least. These people were sending out so many mixed signals. Laughter and violence and smiles and insults. He wasn't sure if he should view them as a threat or with scorn or amusement. It took him a full minute to realize that these people were playing. Playing aggressively, but playing. Strange.</p><p>"Daddy is busy. Let's not tell him." The wooden children turned back to Midnight and squeaked, flying around him like little bats. "Awake!"</p><p>"Pretty!"</p><p>"Dry!"</p><p>"Sleeping Beauty!"</p><p>"Totally dry!" Midnight cocked his head, eyes automatically trying to follow the little faces. </p><p>"Did you think dumping things on me would work?" He wasn't sure if they were being malicious or not at this point. </p><p>"Nope."</p><p>"Share the joy!"</p><p>"Sounded fun!"</p><p>"Curious!"</p><p>"Maybe."</p><p>"....so you poured beer on my head without thinking about what might happen?" The chorus of agreement gave Midnight flashbacks to Cobra's human experimentation phase. He sighed and stood, moving deeper into the shadows. "Throwing things at me is pointless."</p><p>"It's fun!"</p><p>"From a certain point of view, I suppose it might be." He stared at the faces hovering in front of him. "So...who are you?" The overlapping 'P' sounds he got in reply had him blinking and feeling a little dizzy. The faces that were children spinning around his head like birds in a toddler cartoon made that feeling worse. </p><p>He was just starting to relax into his new seat when a shout came from the main floor and his giant of a jailor was leaping from the bar to the stair rail and flipping over the balcony rail. The display of agility and speed was both impressive and frightening. Midnight had seen Cobra move like that, but where his friend, his brother, was pure predator this man was graceful and somehow elegant despite his size, almost like he was dancing. If Midnight wasn't watching with the eye of a combat tested mage who lived and breathed suspicion he would have missed it under all the...flapping purple. It was possible that was a strategic choice and also possible that the man was simply a fashion travesty.</p><p>"Babies! You didn't tell me our Belgatto was awake!" Midnight had no idea what the man had just called him, but he was insulted. "You missed lunch. You're probably starving. What sounds good? Sweet, spicy, sour, savory? Mira probably still has chicken enchiladas left in the kitchen, or you can ask her for something specific. What have we got at home, babies? Besides ice cream." </p><p>"Pasta!"</p><p>"Pasta sauce"</p><p>"White sauce!"</p><p>"Round pasta!"</p><p>"Red sauce!"</p><p>"Long pasta!"</p><p>"Brown sauce!"</p><p>"Okay I get the point." Bickslow was chuckling at the still circling wooden faces. Midnight was confused.</p><p>"Spiral pasta!"</p><p>"Pink sauce!"</p><p>"Tube pasta!"</p><p>"Okay you can stop now." Midnight couldn't help but smile sleepily as the big man held his hands up in surrender.</p><p>"Green sauce!"</p><p>"Black pasta!"</p><p>"Tentacle sauce!"</p><p>"Hey! Now you're just making stuff up! Stop!" Bickslow frantically grabbed the babies and covered their painted on mouths as if he could silence them that way. "I swear we don't have any abnormal kinds of pasta at the house! We do have lots, but not that much. They're being difficult. I like pasta! I'm a good cook, and not just when it comes to Boscan food. You won't go hungry."</p><p>It took Midnight's still sleepy brain three blinks to figure out what the sheepishly grinning man was talking about. Trying to picture black pasta with green sauce and tentacles was slowing his brain down too. He was offering food. Real, cooked by a person who theoretically knew how to cook, food. He was offering to *feed* him. What did that mean? He wasn't sure how he wanted to respond so he changed the subject of the not-conversation. </p><p>"Babies? They do sound like children." He looked back at the faces, eyes narrowing slightly. He had never met a Seith mage who had...happy souls, but he was fairly certain now that these were Bickslow's minions. Strange. They weren't what he had expected.</p><p>"Well sure. They're my babies." Bix shrugged broad shoulders and released the totems so they could spin around his bulk, humming happily. </p><p>"Right." He felt like that statement was deeper than it seemed on the surface. "They are...very playful."</p><p>"Shit. What did you guys do?" The grin the man turned on the babies had a different quality to it. He seemed almost strained now. </p><p>"Fun!"</p><p>"Bouncing!"</p><p>"Didn't let anyone bug him!"</p><p>"Not even a spider!"</p><p>"He's completely dry, Daddy! Promise!"</p><p>"Uhhh…" The big man looked at the ring of beer spattered on the floor. "My bad. They were being good when I left. Guess I had one drink too many and let them get goofy." Midnight's first thought regarding that statement was whether his dance up the stairs would have been more elegant still without alcohol in his blood. He decided he didn't like thinking about that and physically shrugged it off.</p><p>"They were playing. Children do that, I hear." He pulled his compact from his pocket, hissing at his reflection and fixing his eyeliner. "I don't particularly care what I eat as long as it isn't heavily poisoned...though I would rather avoid spice for a while." Entirely if he was honest. He didn't like his food to hurt. Sinnish and Encan food bit back when he tried to eat it.</p><p>"Heavily? Like... you'd eat slightly poisoned food?" Midnight rolled his eyes as he put his compact away. </p><p>"I've lived with Cobra for a very long time." He arched a brow and looked pointedly at the fire-breathing loudmouth below them. Bickslow laughed.</p><p>"Dragon slayers, right? I probably have nerve damage from… Yeah. They share their element." Midnight rolled his eyes and huffed as Bickslow laughed. "So. Wanna get out of here while the guild is distracted? I can cook dinner and you can start making yourself at home."</p><p>The reflector mage eyed the insanity below warily. He really didn't want to be here. The noise and chaos made him restless and nervous. Afraid. He didn't like the idea of being in the Seith mage's home alone with him, but as long as Cobra and Cubelios were with the rune mage he would be alone wherever he was. One threat, or six if he counted the 'babies', was a safer option than the whole guild. He didn't want to test his reflector magic against this much violence in an enclosed space during daylight hours. </p><p>Midnight let out a long-suffering sigh as he rose from his recently claimed resting place. He wasn't sure if it was intentional or not that Bickslow kept his big body between the chaos of the Fairy Tail guild and Midnight. If it was intentional he had no idea if he was using himself as a shield or a cage. He did seem to back off a little once they were outside.</p><p>What kind of jailor would he be now that no one would be watching? Would he keep up the friendly act? He hoped not. False kindness tasted like bile and solanine on his tongue. Yes, Cobra, he remembered the green potatoes phase too, fuck you very much. </p><p>On the other hand hopefully this prison would pretend not to be a cell long enough for him to get a couple days sleep in a real bed. Or a couch at least. Something soft that was big enough for him to lay flat. It wasn't like his skinny, malnourished, sleep deprived body took up much room. </p><p>Five foot six wasn't short really, but the man walking beside him towards the doors of the guild had about half a foot on him in any direction. It made him feel tiny, like Brain had. An involuntary shiver ran through him as memories bubbled up in his mind, drowning out the chatter of the five souls flying around him and their mage. The screams in his memories were starting to blend together when his name called in tandem by the five squeaky minions had his head jerking up. </p><p>"There he is." The big man sounded relieved. "You okay, Bel?" *Okay, where did you go, pretty Midnight, we're sorry, hugs. </p><p>"Of course." Midnight snapped his jaw shut around the urge to hiss indignantly and merely narrowed his eyes at them all. He had no idea what their problem was, but he wasn't some child or dog to be coddled or cooed at.</p><p>"Good, good!" Bickslow raised his hands and grinned. "I know we're annoying and I'd ignore us too, it's just, you seemed a little tense...er." His eyes dropped to Midnight's fisted hands before his grin widened and he waved behind him. "Also. Tada! We're here!"</p><p>"Oh." Midnight blinked at the brownstone house. There were flower pots with living flowers in them on the steps. The windows were clean so he could see the curtains in the windows. Not sheets nailed to the walls, but real, housewife approved level curtains with valances. The corner of his mouth tipped up in an almost unnoticeable smile. At least his new prison was cute on the outside.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Therashae's Active Stories on FFnet and Ao3</p><p>-If It Looks Human (Next Chapter in Progress)<br/>-CoLu Week 2020 (Last Chapter in Progress)<br/>-Nope Out (Next Chapter in Progress)<br/>-Demons and Their Friends (Recently Updated)<br/>-Sing the Song (Recently Updated)<br/>-We Have Your Book (Next Chapter in Progress)<br/>-Daphne's Light<br/>-What Does Lucy Do (Shelving Under Consideration)<br/>-Overkill Field Trip (Undergoing Reconstruction)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Demons of the Mind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Bickslow isn't telling anyone that taking Midnight of the Oracion Seis home feels like adopting a mostly feral cat.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>After a facepalm moment caused by a timeline epiphany, Midnight got a little shorter than he was last chapter. Just a bit. It's not important to the story, but I'm mentioning it anyway. I shaved three inches off the top of him when I realized that I'm just after Nirvana instead of in the Neo Oracion Seis time zone.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bickslow wasn't blind. His new houseguest was terrified of him. He hid it well, but his seemingly casual avoidance of eye contact and almost excessive use of reflector magic was easily noticed by someone like, well, like Bickslow. Of course Bix didn't blame the man. Kaleb had shared just a little of what he'd learned while picking apart the spells in Midnight's mind. Even if he hadn't Bix could <em>see</em> the bleeding cracks in the souls of the two rescued mages. Anger, pain, and fear woven so thickly that he could barely catch a glimpse of their true colors. Hot red and cold black like a living, shifting shield around the screaming yellow haze in their souls.</p>
<p>Cobra was a dragon slayer, and had support enough through Freed to already begin mending himself. Midnight was human, his self identity had been torn apart and turned against him, and he was almost entirely alone now. The fact that he wasn't on the ground sobbing was impressive. Patience wasn't normally Bickslow's forte, but if that's what the tragically beautiful creature scoping out his living room needed in order to heal then that's what Bickslow would give him. To the best of his ability at least. </p>
<p>He left his visor on when he shed the rest of his armor. Did he want to cook in his own kitchen wearing a metal cage on his face? Nope. Was he going to take it off and expose a tortured and traumatized kitten to the hideous death-glow of his eyes? Nope to the...there was a saying about exposing power or something that Freed used sometimes, but he couldn't remember it right now. Meaning hell nope. </p>
<p>He was only halfway paying attention to the meal he was throwing together. Spaghetti was something he could make in his sleep so half his mind was in the living room, watching through Pepe's eyes as Midnight explored. He didn't make a sound but he seemed intent on touching everything, fingers trailing over the back of the couch and then adjusting each thing Bickslow had carelessly tossed on the end table. </p>
<p>Bix's hands paused in slicing sweet peppers and waited as Midnight turned a wooden wolf carving around and around. It inched towards the edge of the table before it was positioned to watch the rabbit on the other side of the table. Bickslow was slightly disappointed that Midnight hadn't knocked it off the table like a cat. The way the slender man wrinkled his nose and flicked his fingers when they came away from the top bookshelf slightly dusty had a chuckle escaping him before he refocused on the food. </p>
<p>Watching Belgatto investigate was amusing, but the man needed to be fed, like, yesterday. He had Popo flip on his music and bopped his head to the beat before dancing his way across the kitchen to the pantry. Papa carried the box of pasta back to the stove and Bix's jar of sauce became a microphone. Pipi giggled and flew in happy loops when he sang to her. </p>
<p>"Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play! And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate!" The Mic was tossed aside once the sauce was in the pan, but the singing and dancing continued, Pipi joining in as the pasta went into the water. "Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake! I shake it off, I shake it off!"</p>
<p>Bickslow spun around once the dishes were all in the sink, grinning at the wide, red eyes that were staring at him from the doorway. Midnight looked shocked with just a hint of a smile at the corner of his black painted lips so Bix pulled all of his babies into the dance and showed off a little. The amusement reached Midnight's eyes when Bickslow added all the little girl flair he could to his enthusiastic shaking at the end of the song. There wasn't a real smile, but Bix considered it a success. </p>
<p>An idea struck him and he had the babies stack themselves as he headed for the sound player. If singing and dancing helped Belgato relax then Bix and the babies could absolutely provide that. He carefully placed his babies and mentally planned the song out with what he had available as the music started. His Minstrellan accent was atrocious, but he was totally doing this.</p>
<p>"Il mio bellissimo gattino." Repeat. He did not speak Minstrellan. He wasn't going to try to translate something he didn't understand so he just made stuff up. Midnight didn't seem to understand him when he spoke Boscan so...hopefully calling him 'my beautiful kitten' wouldn't get Bix in too much trouble. "It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight." Midnight arched a perfect black brow as Bickslow bowed and let Popo move on of the dining room chairs out. Having it come up behind a traumatized person would have been a bad idea. "And now we invite you to relax. Let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents…Your dinner!"</p>
<p>"What?" Red eyes blinked at him, but Bix didn't let the hesitance and suspicion phase him. As Bix and the babies danced Midnight slowly eased down into the chair. He laced his fingers together and rested his chin on them as he watched the kitchen put on it's show. Once Bickslow was seated with his own food and the song had ended, Midnight still hadn't taken a bite, but he had smiled once for Pupu when she offered him 'lumps' of ice for his drink. "What...was that?"</p>
<p>"Fun?" *So fun, be our guest, I'm a teapot. No recognition in the almost luminescent red eyes. "Beauty and the Beast? Nothing? Well shit. We'll have to fix that. You can't just <em>not</em> know that movie." *Tale as old as time, Gaston, pretty roses.</p>
<p>"It's a movie?" Midnight watched Bickslow take a bite before he reached for his fork.</p>
<p>"Well yeah." Bickslow eyed his guest for a long moment as they ate in silence. "Snow White? Sleeping Beauty? Tangled?" Sleepy blinking. "This is a tragedy. Travesty? Something that starts with a T." *Terrible, tyrant, tarantula, tuppence, totalitarianism. "Really guys? Papa's the only one with a word that had anything to do with this conversation." *Tomato, tortilla, tepid, taxes. "Nope. You're getting worse. Go gather those Disney movies for Midnight." The babies zipped away and Bickslow leaned to watch them go. "And stay away from the dictionary!"</p>
<p>"They read?" </p>
<p>"Yeah? Sometimes. They get bored easily if I'm busy. The dictionary is their current thing. They can get a lot of entertainment out of it without having to fight with turning pages very often." Freed had recently given the enormous red book to him just to tease him about the 'lack of variety in his vocabulary'.</p>
<p>"Interesting." Ten. Midnight had finally spoken ten words now since they entered the house. Bickslow reminded himself yet again that this was a <em>traumatized</em> kitten, not a friendly, well socialized one. Healthy communication really wasn't going to be an easily grasped concept. </p>
<p>"They like you. The babies. Means they might be a bit more...friendly than usual." Annoyingly friendly if Bickslow didn't keep a short leash on them. "Just let me know if they don't respect your zone, yeah?"</p>
<p>"......." Midnight just stared at him for a long minute, bright red eyes seeming to look for something that was hidden behind Bickslow's visor. A slow blink and a sigh. "They can't touch me anyway."</p>
<p>"Well yeah, I know. Sorry they tested that so thoroughly. I talked to them and it shouldn't happen again. You shouldn't have to magically defend yourself just to have personal space and privacy. A person should have peace, especially in their own home, right? Don't let them overstep. They might forget that they aren't invited into your room or that you might not want to talk to them. They aren't all that used to guests. Spices and my team are really the only people who ever come over and that's not often since… yeah. Point is, we want you to be able to be comfortable so feel free to tell them to buzz off. If they don't listen, tell me and I'll handle them."</p>
<p>Those bright red eyes were huge on Midnight's pale face, black eyeliner and long eyelashes only making them look bigger. In that moment Bickslow didn't see the sneering dark mage that Freed had brought to the guild. He didn't see the sleepy kitten who had dozed on the balcony all afternoon. Instead Bickslow had the sudden realization that the man sitting in front of him was young. Like, really young. For just a split second Midnight looked like a terrified little boy before that bored indifference returned to his face and he shrugged one elegant shoulder.</p>
<p>"Won't be a problem." He turned his attention back to his food. He ate slowly, taking tiny bites and chewing thoroughly. Bickslow was still trying to figure out if that was to protect his black lipstick or because he was still sleepy. The way he curled one arm around the plate in a subtly territorial way suggested that it was neither. He was just used to making the most of what food he had, guarding it and making it last. </p>
<p>"Okay. So. Feel free to use the kitchen. Grocery list is over there. Add to it, especially if we run low on anything. We have one rule for the kitchen…" Midnight's eyes narrowed slightly when Bickslow paused. "Do not eat the last of the butterscotch rum ripple ice cream without me. I'll cry. It'll be ugly. Nobody can unsee that once it happens." The poor guy just looked confused now.</p>
<p>The babies flew back into the kitchen, providing a convenient distraction. Bix had them show Midnight his room and help him set up Beauty and the Beast while he cleaned up after dinner. Bickslow left his music off so he could enjoy the babies giggling and chattering. He could hear Midnight replying, but his voice was too soft to make out any words from across the house.</p>
<p>When Bickslow eventually made his way to the living room he found Belgatto sitting on the couch with a soft, purple blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He looked so tiny and cute and just...young in that moment. Bix was fairly certain now that he was a good bit younger than Freed's dragon slayer, maybe even younger than Cosplayer. </p>
<p>"Okay. Movie time. I'm insisting we start with this one, but you can choose the next one. Deal?" Midnight just shrugged so Bickslow flopped down on the other end of the couch and started the movie. The babies giggled quietly as they settled down. They loved this movie. The cursed household help made the babies feel normal. He did not, at all, foresee how Midnight would respond to the movie.</p>
<p>"Bitch." Bickslow paused the movie and turned to look at Midnight.</p>
<p>"Come again?"</p>
<p>"Making his freedom rely on someone else is just… Not even I was ever that cruel. That's dangling something impossible in front of him. My fa….. Brain did that. It's cruel. The enchantress is a bitch." Bickslow stared for a long moment.</p>
<p>"I...never saw it that way." He blinked at the stained glass image on the screen and then pointed at the lacrimavision when a thought occurred to him.. "She's sexist too!"</p>
<p>"Come again?" Those bright red eyes looked confused. </p>
<p>"She's a sexist homophobe. She made a gender specific clause in the spell. What if he fell in love with a guy? He'd be stuck as a furry forever even if the guy loved him back!" </p>
<p>".....Oh…" Midnight blinked twice before looking back at the screen. Bickslow decided he would never be seeing this movie the same way as it resumed playing.</p>
<p>Midnight seemed to become more alert and expressive as the movie played. Bickslow was fascinated with the subtle facial expressions and little sounds the quiet man made. Knees were slowly drawn up and Pupu somehow ended up clutched tightly to the boy's chest. Tiny smiles and faintly widened eyes had Bickslow convinced that Midnight was taking the movie more seriously than Bix had as a child.</p>
<p>Gaston's introduction had him snickering adorably. Bix found himself torn between cooing and recoiling from the bloody image Midnight painted of how his female guildmate would have handled the man's attitude. The noise he made when he saw Chip was almost a coo and he actually cocked his head to the side and hummed while he studied the beast.</p>
<p>"His eyes match her dress."</p>
<p>"Huh… you're right. I wonder if that was intentional."</p>
<p>"Is he...supposed to be scary?"</p>
<p>"Well, sort of?" Bickslow's eyes focused on where Midnight's fingers were playing with the fur trim on his shirt and he grinned. A plush version of The Beast was absolutely going on his shopping list.</p>
<p>Once the movie was over Midnight stared at the lacrimavision while the credits rolled, not seeming to actually see anything. Slowly he moved Pupu onto the arm of the couch and pulled his blanket tighter around him. He scoffed and shook his head before standing. The mumbled words that Bickslow heard as his new housemate vanished into his bedroom had him physically wincing. </p>
<p>"She never would have come back if it was real." This was going to be a long and emotionally exhausting rehabilitation.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Therashae's Active Stories on FFnet and Ao3</p>
<p>-If It Looks Human (Next Chapter in Progress)<br/>-CoLu Week 2020 (Last Chapter in Progress)<br/>-Nope Out (Next Chapter in Progress)<br/>-Demons and Their Friends (Recently Updated)<br/>-Sing the Song (Recently Updated)<br/>-We Have Your Book (Next Chapter in Progress)<br/>-Daphne's Light<br/>-What Does Lucy Do (Shelving Under Consideration)<br/>-Overkill Field Trip (Recently Updated)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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